While
concluding his letter to the Hebrews, the writer exhorted his readers
to “remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them”,
and they were to also keep in mind “them which suffer
adversity, as being yourselves also in the body”.
In chapter thirteen and verse four of Hebrews, the writer told
his readers “marriage is honorable in all” where we
read:
but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
The
verse begins, “Marriage
is
honorable in all, and the bed undefiled:”.
The writer
began with the word, “Marriage”
which means “matrimony and nuptials” “is
honorable”
or “of great price, precious, esteemed and especially dear” “in
all” which
means “within each, every, the whole and everyone”, “and
the bed”
or “the place for lying down, resting, sleeping, cohabitation and
sexual intercourse” “undefiled”
which means “unsoiled and free from that by which the nature of a
thing is deformed and debased or has its force and vigor impaired”.
Every “marriage”,
according to the writer of Hebrews, is “especially dear”, and the
“place for lying down and having relations” is not “deformed or
debased” in any manner.
The
verse continues, “but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”.
The writer
added the word, “but” which
is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be
written takes precedence over what was just stated” “whoremongers”
which means “men who prostitute their bodies to another's lust for
hire or who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse such as a
fornicator” “and adulterers”
which means
“one who is apostate, ungodly and faithless toward his or her
spouse or God” “God”
which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised
of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “will
judge” which
means “will separate, put asunder, pronounce an opinion against,
censure, condemn, damn and sentence”. The writer assures his
readers that God will certainly “put asunder, condemn and damn”
people who are “fornicators” and “adulterers”.
When
we consider these words in Hebrews, we should see the value of the
sacred institution of “marriage”
and be warned against being “fornicators”
or “adulterers”.
Jesus said, “You have
heard that it was said by them of old time, you shalt not commit
adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever
looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her
already in his heart.”
(Matthew 5:27-28). His idea was for anyone male or female who looks
on another with “lust”,
“has committed adultery”
in their “heart”.
This was one of the purposes of Jesus coming. God honors “marriage”,
and the “marriage bed” is not “defiled or debased”, and yet,
people violate this institution of God continuously. This behavior is
“sin” which
is “missing the mark, error, mistake, wrong and unpleasing to God”.
Jesus came to save us from our “sins”,
and we should never minimize what He honors. Lest we find ourselves
among those who are “judged
by God”
for being “whoremongers”
or “adulterers”,
let us humble ourselves before Him, ask for forgiveness if needed,
honor and praise Him, and be obedient unto Him and His word.
Next
time the writer exhorts his readers to “let
your
conversation be
without covetousness” and
to “be
content with such things as you have”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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